Will Or Be Going To

Question

They....... (play) golf this afternoon.I'm bored, I think....... (do) a crossward puzzle.They are making a lot of noise. They.......... (wake) the baby.You've got a bad cold. I........ (make) you some soup.A:Would you like someting to drink?B:I..... (have) a cup of tea, please.We hope the dog........ (find) his way bach home.C:Look at that man on the ladder!D: Oh no! He........ (fall)E:I don't understand this maths problem.F: That's OK. I...... (help) you.G: Why are you wearing those old clothes?H: Because I..... (paint) the kitchen today.I: Mr James left a message for you. I think it's urgent.J:OK. I...... (ring) him right away.HELP ME PLEASE!

Marquez · Accepted Answer

They are going to play golf this afternoon.
I'm bored, I think I'll do a crossward puzzle.
They are making a lot of noise. They will wake the baby.
You've got a bad cold. I'll make you some soup.
A:Would you like someting to drink?
B:I'll have a cup of tea, please.
We hope the dog will find his way back home.
C:Look at that man on the ladder!
D: Oh no! He is going to fall.
E:I don't understand this maths problem.
F: That's OK. I'll help you.
G: Why are you wearing those old clothes?
H: Because I'm going to paint the kitchen today.
I: Mr James left a message for you. I think it's urgent.
J:OK. I'll ring him right away.

MrChris · Answer

We use "will" when a future event is certain. If you're making a prediction on a future event based on the present time, then use going to.

They're going to play golf this afternoon (since "they" may have just told you that five minutes ago).It could rain a lot and thus, they wouldn't play golf. It's not exactly certain.

I'm bored, I think I'm going to do a crossword puzzle. (Since you're using think, you may change your mind).

They are going to wake the baby (since we're using a present event to predict something in the future. They may wake the baby. They may not).

I'm going to make you some soup (based on the fact that at the present time, the other person is sick). You may go into the kitchen and change your mind and may make some tea instead.

(I'll have a cup of tea), since you're very certain that the waiter will come back with a cup of tea and not something else that you didn't request.

We hope that the dog will find his way back home.

I will help you (since you're not going to do something else. You're certain that you're going to help your friend with his math.)

Because I was going to paint the kitchen today (since you may change your mind and paint it tomorrow instead)

Ok. I will ring him right away (since you're not going to do something else).

There.

Fivejedjon · Answer

marquez1.They are going to play golf this afternoon.
2. I'm bored, I think I'll do a crossward puzzle.
3. They are making a lot of noise. They will wake the baby.
4. You've got a bad cold. I'll make you some soup.
5. A:Would you like someting to drink?B:I'll have a cup of tea, please.
6. We hope the dog will find his way back home.
7. C:Look at that man on the ladder!D: Oh no! He is going to fall.
8. E:I don't understand this maths problem.F: That's OK. I'll help you.
9. G: Why are you wearing those old clothes?H: Because I'm going to paint the kitchen today.
10. I: Mr James left a message for you. I think it's urgent.J:OK. I'll ring him right away.

These are probably the answers the exercise writer is hoping for.

Unfortunately, in many of them, both forms are fairly natural. This is particularly true of numbers 3, 4, 6, and 7. In fact, the only sentences in which the alternative is not very likely, without more context, are are numbers 1, 5, 9 and 10.

I intensely dislike exercise like this. They lead learners to believe that there is always only one 'correct' way of expressing the future, and this is simply not true. Learners become rather confused when they hear native speakers happily (and correctly) using forms that have been told are inappropriate.

If you are interested, you'll find a summary of my views on ways of expressing the future here .

Marquez · Answer

fivejedjon marquez1.They are going to play golf this afternoon.2. I'm bored, I think I'll do a crossward puzzle.3. They are making a lot of noise. They will wake the baby.4. You've got a bad cold. I'll make you some soup.5. A:Would you like someting to drink?B:I'll have a cup of tea, please.6. We hope the dog will find his way back home.7. C:Look at that man on the ladder!D: Oh no! He is going to fall.8. E:I don't understand this maths problem.F: That's OK. I'll help you.9. G: Why are you wearing those old clothes?H: Because I'm going to paint the kitchen today.10. I: Mr James left a message for you. I think it's urgent.J:OK. I'll ring him right away.These are probably the answers the exercise writer is hoping for.Unfortunately, in many of them, both forms are fairly natural. This is particularly true of numbers 3, 4, 6, and 7. In fact, the only sentences in which the alternative is not very likely, without more context, are are numbers 1, 5, 9 and 10.I intensely dislike exercise like this. They lead learners to believe that there is always only one 'correct' way of expressing the future, and this is simply not true. Learners become rather confused when they hear native speakers happily (and correctly) using forms that have been told are inappropriate.If you are interested, you'll find a summary of my views on ways of expressing the future here .

Yes, I know. Native speakers use other forms, but in my opinion, that exercise and other similar exercises just test the knowledge about usages, and that's it. Whether to use those forms correctly or incorrectly is up to the speaker, and how the learner feels about grammar is related to how the teacher approaches it. The teacher/tutor can tell the learner about spoken language, and still teach the accepted forms (at least in formal writing). Thanks for the link, by the way.

Fivejedjon · Answer

marquezThe teacher/tutor can tell the learner about spoken language, and still teach the accepted forms (at least in formal writing).

I don't agree that one form is always the accepted form in formal writing. The more context we have, the more likely we are to opt for one particular form, but that does not mean that others are necessarily wrong. The first sentence, "They ... play golf this afternoon" is an example of this. It is full context, not formal acceptability, that decides whether I use play, are playing, will play, will be playing, are going or to play. In exactly the same context, you might use an another, equally acceptable, form.

Marquez · Answer

fivejedjonI don't agree that one form is always the accepted form in formal writing.

I didn't say "one form" is always the accepted form. As you said, it depends on the context. But that exercise is also out of its context. Maybe the same sentences were already given during the lesson, and the student already knows what they are about.

CalifJim · Answer

marquezThey are going to play golf this afternoon.I'm bored, I think I'll do a crossward puzzle.They are making a lot of noise. They will wake the baby.You've got a bad cold. I'll make you some soup.A:Would you like someting to drink?B:I'll have a cup of tea, please.We hope the dog will find his way back home.C:Look at that man on the ladder!D: Oh no! He is going to fall.E:I don't understand this maths problem.F: That's OK. I'll help you.G: Why are you wearing those old clothes?H: Because I'm going to paint the kitchen today.I: Mr James left a message for you. I think it's urgent.J:OK. I'll ring him right away.

The only one I disagree with is "They're going to wake the baby".

To me, it's the same as the ladder situation. "Oh no! He's going to fall!"

CJ

Marquez · Answer

CalifJim The only one I disagree with is "They're going to wake the baby".To me, it's the same as the ladder situation. "Oh no! He's going to fall!"CJ

On second thought, yes, you're right. They probably want that answer, as we make a prediction based on the evidence we have (they are making noise).

Fivejedjon · Answer

I agree with both marquez and CJ Both forms are natural and possible.

Will Or Be Going To

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